YOUTH IMPRESS voices concern about Guyanese being on the breadline PDF Print E-mail
Written by   
Sunday, 29 April 2012 21:33
-as a result of opposition’s reckless actions
YOUNG Guyanese professionals of YOUTH IMPRESS have voiced their concern over the combined opposition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) reckless actions, using their one-seat majority to place hundreds of Guyanese, mostly youths, on the breadline. In a statement YOUTH IMPRESS said: “The young Guyanese professionals under the banner of YOUTH IMPRESS: MAKING OUR MARK, wish to voice our collective concern over the dishonourable usurpation and shameful misuse of legislative powers perpetrated on countless young Guyanese professionals by opposition parties APNU and AFC. “
“We at IMPRESS offer our regret over the opposition’s reckless actions using its one-seat majority to place hundreds of Guyanese, mostly youth on the breadline. We especially sympathise with those who have families, mortgages and other financial commitments. The APNU/AFC has shown no remorse for their actions.  The AFC said ’those who lost jobs are collateral damage,” it stated.
“Our team at IMPRESS had genuinely believed that the legislative environment and state of affairs arising out of the 2011 general elections would be conducive to fostering a new breed of mature politicians. Instead, what we have seen over the past few weeks is clear interruption of development prospects and an unfettered abuse of discretion on the part of APNU and the AFC,” the group said.
“It has always been the hope of IMPRESS to empower the younger generation of Guyanese males and females through meaningful knowledge, training and discourse. We see Guyanese children, adolescents and young adults as the primary vessels and catalysts for our nation’s future. We would have liked to think that APNU and the AFC shared our views about our nation’s youth. They do not, this much is painstakingly clear,” it noted.
The statement added: “Take a look at the pictures and videos circulated by Guyana’s media. Most of those now without jobs are young Guyanese professionals. And yet, those responsible for this crisis refuse to offer a mere apology? How can this be right? What rational explanation can APNU and the AFC provide us with to justify their apparent anti-youth empowerment decisions? Why must our young professionals suffer simply because APNU and the AFC immaturely decide to misuse a mere one-seat majority in the National Assembly in hopes of interfering with our government’s administration of this nation?
YOUTH IMPRESS insisted that young persons across this nation must stand together and stand united and be unwavering in “our condemnation of APNU and the AFC’s irresponsibility and juvenility”.
“We must stand this fight together and make them understand that we will not tolerate this grave injustice and constitutional violation of our right to work. Race or ethnic origin is not an issue here; these budget cuts are sensory deficient as to sight—they affect young persons from all walks of life and culture, irrespective of race or ethnicity. Again, take a look at the pictures and videos: race is not the issue here,” the statement said.
“These budget cuts serve no legitimate purpose or compelling government interests other than to interfere with our government’s desirable programmes and policies. These budget cuts are not narrowly tailored to achieving APNU and the AFC’s purported objective of “going after the fat cats,” as many of those affected earn menial salaries. These budget cuts are not the least restrictive means of achieving the ends sought by the AFC and APNU, but rather, has been entirely orchestrated with one goal in mind: to restrict our government from advancing our beautiful nation,” it stated.
“Our young Guyanese professionals cannot extract any desirable lesson from the politicians that comprise the AFC and APNU other than to learn how not to act. These politicians, in their misuse of their constitutionally bestowed powers, are akin to children in a candy store and their one-seat majority is the only lick of the lollipop they needed. There is no reflection or careful consideration in making decisions, just irrational impulse and self-indulgent instinct governs. Our young Guyanese professionals deserve much better than what the AFC and APNU have to offer us,” the group said.
“We need to learn from mature, responsible, flexible and unprejudiced politicians. Now more than ever, we need the only truly democratic political party this nation has ever seen. We need the People’s Progressive Party,” it maintained.
 
Get Adobe Flash player

More Top Stories